See all the films nominated for Oscars for their novelty—and brevity—when the Magic Lantern Cinemas and the Sun Valley Center for the Arts team up to present the “ShortsHd’s” showcase tonight Feb. 19, and Thursday, Feb. 20, and next week Feb. 26 and 27.
The films are the Live Action, Animation and Documentary nominees as four separate theatrical events. This will be the valley’s only opportunity to watch the nominated shorts prior to the 86th Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, March 2.
“This is an incredible opportunity to see all the short films that will be a part of the Academy Awards this year,” said Kristine Bretall, The Center’s director of performing arts. “Those who love to participate in the Magic Lantern’s Oscar contest will have a leg up on everyone else by seeing these films firsthand. Last year, the audiences loved the chance to see these films that most people never get a chance to see.”
As in past years, the films are grouped according to the Academy Awards’ categories and will be hosted on screen by past Oscar winners and a slew of renowned filmmakers who have made their mark in short films.
The Animated Shorts, in a special treat for audiences, will be hosted by one of the high-diving giraffes of YouTube fame and his ostrich buddy in this special commission by Paris-based Cube Creative and Nicolas Deveaux. For the Live Action nominees, the hosts include: Shawn Christensen (“Curfew”), Matthew Modine (“Full Metal Jacket”), Tom Vaughan (“What Happens in Vegas”), Peter Webber (“Girl with a Pearl Earring”), Jim Field Smith (“She’s Out of my League”) and Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine (“Inocente”). For the Documentary Shorts, the hosts include: Lucy Walker (“Waste Land”), Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine, Eva Orner (“Taxi to the Dark Side”), Peter Webber and Shawn Christensen.
This year’s Oscar-nominated Short Films originate from all parts of the globe, representing the pinnacle of filmmaking from Japan, the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Spain, Finland, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Canada and the United States.
The particulars
Where: Magic Lantern Cinemas in Ketchum.
Cost: $10 for Sun Valley Center for the Arts members, $12 for non-members.
How: Tickets are available in advance at
www.sunvalleycenter.org or by calling The Center at
726-9491, ext. 110.
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m.
“Get a Horse!”—Mickey Mouse and his friends are enjoying a wagon ride until Peg-Leg Pete shows up with plans to ruin their day.
“Mr. Hublot”—The eccentric, isolated Mr. Hublot finds his carefully ordered world disrupted by the arrival of Robot Pet.
“Feral”—A wild boy who has grown up in the woods is found by a hunter and returned to civilization.
“Possessions”—A man seeking shelter from a storm in a dilapidated shrine encounters a series of household objects inhabited by goblin spirits.
“Room on the Broom”—A genial witch and her cat are joined on their broom by several friends as they set off on an adventure.
Thursday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m.
“Helium”—A dying boy finds comfort in the tales of a magical land called HELIUM, told to him by the hospital janitor.
“The Voorman Problem”—A psychiatrist is called to a prison to examine an inmate named Voorman, who is convinced he is a god. Starring Martin Freeman.
“Avant Que De Tout Perdre /Just Before Losing Everything”—Miriam has left her abusive husband and taken refuge with her children in the local supermarket where she works.
“Aquel No Era Yo /That Wasn’t Me”—Paula, a Spanish aid worker, has an encounter with an African child soldier named Kaney.
“Do I Have to Take Care of Everything”—Sini tries frantically to get her family ready to leave for a wedding, but her husband and two children are interfering with her efforts.
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m.
“The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life”—At 109, Alice Herz Sommer is the world’s oldest pianist, and its oldest Holocaust survivor. At the heart of her remarkable story of courage and endurance is her passion for music.
“Karama Has No Walls”—When protesters in Yemen added their voices to those of other nations during the Arab Spring, the government responded with an attack that left 53 people dead and inspired widespread sympathy throughout the country.
“Facing Fear”—As a gay 13-year-old, Matthew Boger endured a savage beating at the hands of a group of neo-Nazis. Twenty-five years later, he meets one of them again by chance.
Thursday, Feb. 27, 7 p.m.
“CaveDigger”—New Mexico environmental sculptor Ra Paulette carves elaborately designed and painstakingly executed sandstone caves, driven by an artistic vision that often brings him into conflict with his patrons.
“Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall”—In a maximum-security prison, the terminally ill Jack Hall faces his final days with the assistance of hospice care provided by workers drawn from the prison population.
